WHAT DOES GOD WANT FROM ME?

PSALM 51: 17-18

"The sacrifice you desire from me is a broken spirit.  You will not reject a broken and repentant heart O God."

In most situations I ask myself, what am I doing here, what is expected of me?  In my early years I would ask, what do my parents want from me?  In school the question is what do you expect from me and then came the exam?  At any job it is important to understand the description of what you are expected to do.  Over an over people ask, "what do you want from me"?  In our One Truth Today we are asking the more important question.  WHAT DOES GOD WANT FROM ME?  Just before this scripture the Lord told us He does not want burnt offerings.  What can any person give to God that He does not all ready own?  It is not a physical gift that the Lord is seeking, it is a spiritual one.  Have you given the Lord your broken and repentant heart?

There is a sacrifice that is acceptable to the Lord.  It must come from you personally.  In the end it is the only thing that you have to give to Him.  This is a gift he will not reject or despise! If you can say with truth and humility that your sacrifice to the Lord is a broken spirit and a contrite heart.  If you can say that you are repentant of all your sins and truly sorry for all your transgressions, that you have opened your heart and accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, then you have offered up your sacrifice of a broken spirit.  The Lord will never reject this gift and sacrifice of you as a person and a spirit.  This is the only sacrifice that God desires!

God will be pleased with your sacrifice of righteousness.  By opening the door to your heart the Lord has come in to dwell with you in the person of the Holy Spirit.  That is all that God ever wanted and the purpose that you were born.  To come to Know, Love, Fear, and Worship the Lord.  Remember what the Lord said, "behold I stand at the door and knock and if any one will open the door to their heart, I will come in and live with them".  The Holy Spirit that changes your life will be proof of your contrition, and you will be "born again".  You have bent your knee and confessed with your tongue that Jesus Christ is the Lord God and your personal spirit is broken and repentant.  The world has nothing to offer us and we need to hold on to the Word and Promises of God.  WHAT DOES GOD WANT FROM ME?  The correct answer is your broken spirit and a contrite heart!

SPRING CLEANING TIME!

2 CORINTHIANS 7: 1

"Because we have the promise of God and He lives in us, let us CLEANSE OURSELVES  from everything that can defile our body or spirit.  Let us work toward complete Holiness because we fear God."

Every year I remember my mother going through our house and doing what she called spring cleaning.  She went into every room in the house, including the closets, basement and garage. 

She threw out that which was old and filthy and no longer valuable to the family.  In the process she made everything that was left sparkle and smell wonderful.  The rugs got beaten, the floors polished and the windows cleaned.   When she finished the home looked new.  Even the tiny things did not escape her view as she did not miss a thing.  We always appreciated how neat and tidy our house was kept.  It was a pride to her and her entire family.  It was almost a holy project that she knew pleased God!

It may be hard to think of yourself as a house, but remember we are the temple of the Lord. Also do not forget, as a believer, the Holy Spirit is dwelling in you right now.  With these facts in mind the One Truth Today is very important.  You are responsible for the environment that you provide, because we have the promise of God that He lives in us.  What is it that the Lord desires of us?  He wants us to CLEANSE OURSELVES from everything that can defile our body or spirit.  Because we Know, Love and Fear God we should work toward complete Holiness!  It is our duty to hear His Word and then please Him.  It is SPRING CLEANING TIME!

After my daughter came to the Lord and accepted His Spirit into her heart, I remember her asking if she could keep her worldly record collection.  I asked her if Jesus Christ would like to hear them and if it would edify her walk with the Lord.  Out they went.  My son had magazines that contained pictures that had to be dealt with.  Out they went.  I remember removing little objects like the statue of Buddha and a fertility goddess that I had accumulated.  We need to go through our house every once in a while and cleanse it.  What about movies and recorded programs that have to go?  What about books and printed materials that are offensive to God?What about the clothes that we wear or the makeup and jewelry?  What about our language is there anything that needs to be thrown out?  We should want to CLEANSE OURSELVES of any thing that can defile our temple or body.  Working toward becoming more Holy is pleasing to God and can make us feel new again and sparkling clean.  How about you, is it SPRING CLEANING TIME?

THE RIGHT TIME IS NOW!

2 CORINTHIANS 6: 2

"Indeed THE RIGHT TIME IS NOW.  Today is the day of Salvation!"

 To those who have not been Saved by Jesus Christ, today, like every day of your life, could be the Day of your Salvation.  THE RIGHT TIME IS NOW!  Will it be on a Sunday?  Will it be in a church? Will it be in a foxhole?  Will you be called by an evangelistic pastor at a crusade?  Will you be reading the Word of God and suddenly understand the Truth and Wisdom of God?  Will it be when you are the end of your rope and down trodden?  Will it be in prison or when you are being held in confinement?  Is any one day or any one way better than another?  Indeed THE RIGHT TIME IS NOW!  Your age is not relevant.  Where you are at the time is not relevant.  Who is there with you is not relevant.  When you hear that still, small voice calling you, listen and do the right thing!

God does not want anyone to perish and be separated from Him.  He will welcome you at any time and under any circumstance.  To the Lord, today is the day of your deliverance and salvation.  Jesus Christ is waiting and expecting you to accept His free gift of life and that eternal.  God hears us at all times and that includes this very moment.  He is gracious and merciful and knows that you will accept Him into your heart.  So  if you are wondering when the right moment will come for your redemption, how about right now this very moment?    THE RIGHT TIME IS NOW!

In short there is no right time or place or setting.  Every persons story is individual and different, the only thing they have in common is that they all asked the Lord into their heart! That is why every witness is different.  What will your story and witness be?  What is relevant is that you came to Know, Love and Fear God.  What is relevant is whether you bent you knee to Jesus Christ and confessed with your tongue that He is the Lord God.  When is it that you will hear the Good News?  THE RIGHT TIME IS NOW!

 

WHO IS ON YOUR TEAM?

2 CORINTHIANS 6: 14

"Do not team up with those who are unbeliever's.  How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness?  How can light live with darkness?"

There is no harmony between Jesus Christ and the devil!  How can there be harmony between believer's and unbeliever's?  To be unequally yoked with someone who is wicked and prefers the darkness is a recipe for a losing team.  When two oxen are so different they can not pull the load together and they will never work well together.  They have two different natures and are pulling in two different directions.  The result is predictable and never good.  Why make it hard on our selves by making alliances with non believer's?  There are always major inconsistencies in our beliefs and actions.  Right living and right standing with God requires an entirely different set of principals that are never consistent with those who do not Love and Fear God!

Believer"s seek the light and the truth.  Non believer's seek the darkness and wickedness and try to avoid the light.  How can light live with darkness?  Remember the Lord said that He would be with us and dwell us unto the end.  We are His people and He is our God.  As His sons and daughters we welcome the Light and the Truth into our heart.  We will want to separate ourselves from darkness, wickedness and the filth of sin.  WHO IS ON YOUR TEAM?  Do not team up with those who are unbeliever's.  

In this life we are always apart of one team or another.  The family is a team.  The school is a team.  Your place of employment is a team.  The friends that you choose are your team.  Your political party is a team.  Your church is a team.  It makes perfect sense for us to be attracted to those who are like us and share our values.  Birds of a feather, do flock together.  Like minded people live in harmony.  If we want to be compatible with our team and friends and family then choose carefully.  When you team up in marriage be sure you share the same values and morals as the Lord.  You must be equally yoked if you want to be a good team.  Teach your family the values that lead to righteousness and away from the dark side.  Seek employment in a firm that shares your values.  Pick a political party that reflects your beliefs.  As you make your life decisions about who will surround you,  someone will ask, WHO IS ON YOUR TEAM? 

IS EVERYTHING MEANINGLESS?

ECCLESIASTES 1: 2

'EVERYTHING IS MEANINGLESS, says the teacher, completely meaningless."

Have you ever wondered how the "wisdom of Solomon" could ever reach such a conclusion?  You would think that the "wisest man who ever lived", would have something a little more edifying and uplifting to say about life.  In Solomon's opinion hard work is useless and we can never be satisfied.  He believed that history just repeated itself and there was nothing new in the world or under the sun.  He believed that what was wrong could not be made right and that to increase wisdom is to increase sorrow.  Most importantly, he believed that no one could bring us back from death to life.  If these things were really true, then it may be EVERYTHING IS MEANINGLESS!

The One Truth Today, that we all need to realize and understand, is that Solomon lived before Jesus Christ was born into this world, and the plan of Redemption was unveiled by God.  The "Good News" of the New Testament had not been revealed to Solomon and he was without the Truth about new and eternal life.   Solomon's perspective depended on Old Testament thinking and that is why his conclusions contained so much despair.  Solomon did not know about Jesus Christ and His Salvation.  It is the same despair that so many living today have.  They do not know Jesus Christ and they do not understand how they need Him to Save them.  In their lives, EVERYTHING IS MEANINGLESS!  Without Jesus your life is COMPLETELY MEANINGLESS. 

If you do not have Jesus Christ as your Saviour and His gift of eternal life in Heaven, then it is true, everything is meaningless, completely meaningless.  Nothing will be new in your life.  You will die and then be separated for eternity from God.  Everything that you will have done will be meaningless and will have no value.  No wonder you feel great despair.  The more earthly wisdom you obtain, the more miserable you become.  What is wrong you can not make right.  What do you get for all your hard work?  There is no real value in anything that you do.  What is ahead for you is even worse, much worse.  You need a Saviour.  The Saving Grace and Mercy of Jesus Christ is the only thing of real value and meaning in your life.  Believe Jesus, accept His Salvation and then you will have the beginning of wisdom.  If not EVERYTHING IS MEANINGLESS, COMPLETELY MEANINGLESS!

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE?

2 CORINTHIANS 5: 10

"FOR WE MUST ALL STAND BEFORE CHRIST TO BE JUDGED.  We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body."

Many people have a veil over their eyes and just can not see what will happen when they die. Satan has continued the same lie since he first told it to Eve.  He tells people, are you sure you heard God's Word, surely you will not die.  Has the truth been obscured to you?  You must know that the ratio is one death for every life.  Bulletin:  YOU WILL DIE!  WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE?  If you do not believe there is a Satan, then he wins and you lose your eternal life!  If you have received Jesus Christ into your heart and life, you will be saved from death and given eternal life.  That is the One Truth Today and this is what will happen when you die. After your death you will stand before Christ to be judged.  You will receive mercy and forgiveness of  your sins if you believe in Him to Save you!

You had a choice of whom you would serve here on earth.  You can serve the devil or you can serve the Lord, but you have to serve somebody.  Regardless of your choice, at death you will stand before Christ and you will be judged.   Only the result will be different, depending on what good or evil we have done on earth.  If you have rejected Jesus Christ, He will tell you to depart from Him as He never knew you.  If you have been born again into the kingdom of God you will be Saved and given new life and eternal Salvation.  There is no wiggle room or second chance, and it will be too late to plead your case, because you will not have Jesus Christ as your advocate.  First you die, and then the judgement.  That is WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE!

We will all appear at the throne of judgement.  We will receive what we deserve.  We will receive mercy if we belong to Jesus Christ.  He will be the substitute for our sins.  That is the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Jesus Saves!  Jesus brings forgiveness for all of the evil we have done on earth.  We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God and that is why  it is imperative that you come to the Lord Jesus Christ and ask for His forgiveness and repent of your sins.  We all need a Saviour.  What you choose to believe and whom you serve will determine your final judgement.  You have no excuses and you can never say that you did not know WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE!

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE?

WE NEVER GIVE UP!

2 CORINTHIANS 4: 1-2

"Therefore, since God in His mercy has given us this new way, WE NEVER GIVE UP!    We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods.  We do not try to trick anyone or distort the Word of God.  We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this."

In a famous college graduation speech at Oxford University, Winston Churchill told the class what was required of them to be successful in any profession.  What made the speech famous was the length, clarity and wisdom of what he had to say.  Unlike the long, windy and boring speeches of most who lectured to the graduates,  Churchill's speech consisted of three repeated sentences, with a long pause in between each admonition.  Never give up.  Never give up.  Never give up.   He sat down and after the crowd realized how this was the best graduation speech ever given, they broke into thunderous applause.  The graduates understood that this was a concise and powerful message that had more relevance than any other they could have received.

In our One Truth Today, Paul is saying the same thing when it comes to believing in God and telling others of The Way!  WE NEVER GIVE UP!

Those of us who have received the mercy of God and have gone into His ministry, have adopted a new way of life.  We are on a path that leads to God and eternal Salvation.  If we want to be successful we must reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods of evangelizing.  We can never trick anyone or distort the Word of God.  Because God is truth we must always be truthful.  Everyone who really knows us must also know that we are honest before the Lord!   The most important thing to the Lord is that regarding His Kingdom, WE NEVER GIVE UP!

In Paul's lifetime there had been many disgraceful methods used to adulterate the Word and message of the Lord.  Underhanded methods had been used to trick people with cunning and dishonest representations of God and His Word.  Many used misleading and adulterated versions of the Truth to gain benefits for themselves.  By now you may have noticed that it sounds just like today, the deceptions continue.  So just like Paul, WE NEVER GIVE UP,  telling the Truth and the Word of God openly, clearly and candidly.  We must never faint or grow weary of giving the Good News of Jesus Christ to others.  We must always tell the truth before man and God, being honest to the end.   For His sake  WE NEVER GIVE UP- WE NEVER GIVE UP- WE NEVER GIVE UP!